


Dumb Luck

by Scar_loves_pretzels



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Akuma Attack, Angst with a Happy Ending, Best Friends, Depression, Detectives, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Ice Skating, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Jealous Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Major Original Character(s), Paris (City)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:00:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 16,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25019683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scar_loves_pretzels/pseuds/Scar_loves_pretzels
Summary: Aria Dubois moved to Paris with her family. Unlike most Parisians, she never wanted to be there.  All she wanted was to run back home, to the thick woods of her home town in Montana. One day, she ran into one of Paris's heroes and started the adventure of a lifetime. Can Chat Noir inspire a love in her she didn't know she had? Or will she end up getting her wish and returning home? I suck at summaries, but I think you get it by now ;)
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Original Female Character(s), Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Luka Couffaine/Original Female Character(s), Plagg (Miraculous Ladybug) & Original Character(s)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 21





	1. Paris

**Author's Note:**

> First off, thank you for choosing my story! Second, this is a really slow burn. It takes a while for her to even know Adrien, so please be patient and read the first couple chapters. I'm publishing the first 5 at once, then it will be one at a time. This fic talks about suicide and bullying, so please don't read if that's too much. Lastly, character is really bitchy at first, but she gets so much better, so please please be patient! If you have any suggestions or are confused or just want to say hi, leave a comment and I'll respond as soon as I can!
> 
> On with the story!

Montana.

Such a peaceful place.

Not many people, woods everywhere, and frozen lakes perfect for skating. It was paradise.

I grew up in a small town, the type where everyone knew everyone. The waitresses at the local dinner knew my name, as well as my mom's. The man who fills my mom's tank at the gas station, Steve, would ask her how her daughter is doing. We were even familiar with Billy, the homeless man who lives behind the local grocery store. My mom would knit him blankets and our neighbors would give him food once in a while.

But then, Mom had to ruin everything. She was a local artist, and I mean local. The only people who saw her art were the members of the town that bothered to look at the paintings in the diner. Since that didn't make money, she was also skilled at selling people clothes they didn't need at the local boutique run by her friend.

One day she saw an inspirational quote online and decided to publish her work. What happened next? She got big. Galleries around the globe called and asked for her work. She refused everything until she got an offer from France-of all places! They loved her art and wanted to put it in galleries. They even offered to have her permanently work at the gallery as a bonus. I didn't understand how that was different from all the other places, but apparently it was. The next thing I knew, there was a 'For Sale' sign on our house. I didn't even know until one of my friends asked why I was moving.

Now here I sit, on this 9-hour flight headed to a country I'm not even familiar with. I had to leave behind all my friends just to move out to a random city halfway across the world! My brother was excited about it. He said he wanted to check out the local Parisian dudes. That was the only thing I was happy about; now my brother can finally find a guy to be with. There are almost zero options back home.

I still wasn't happy. I don't know how I'll ever fit in. I can barely speak any French! The only reason I learned it is because we lived next to Canada. The best I ever got in that class was a C-. Also, I'm headed to a city. A city! I've stayed in the same small town my entire life. I'm used to hearing crickets and toads and seeing deer in the streets. Now I have to adjust to a city in a different country with a different language? This probably won't end well.

******************************

My brother woke me up. I must have drifted off to sleep during the flight. I noticed we landed already. I groggily got up and helped him with the luggage so we could leave the plane. Mom flew out earlier to handle her new job and the move. I didn't want to fly out myself, let alone at all, but my brother was 16, so he took care of everything.

We ran outside and he hailed a taxi. Ryan, my brother, was always good with his French. We got in the cab and he started chattering happily in French. He was always made for city life and he handled change wonderfully. Plus, this was a new, fresh start for him away from the town gossips and prying eyes. Most people were fine with him being gay, but some were still...adjusting.

"Hey," he spoke softly in English. "I know you aren't happy about this. This will be difficult for a while. Just please, try. This is a fresh start for all of us. I know it is so crowded and there isn't a huge forest like you're used to, but we will get through this together. Who knows? You might end up really loving Paris."

"Hmph. I just don't get Paris! Why couldn't we have stayed in America? Everything is gonna change! Everyone is so different from us! We have accents and we definitely have more plaid. I don't want to ruin this for you guys, but..." I trailed off quietly, my blue eyes downcast.

"But you'll miss home. Especially the forests," he smiled at me.

"Especially the forests," I repeated, our matching blue eyes meeting.

"We are here!" said the cab driver roughly, using English. This surprised us both. Ryan and I got out and got our things from the trunk. After we paid the driver and he left, we went inside the apartment building and trekked our suitcases to the top floor penthouse. I guess her new job pays well.

We knocked on our designated apartment and Mom greeted us at the door and we all talked about our trip to Paris, practicing our French of course. I commented here and there, but not much. I was pissed at Mom for dragging us out here because of some dumbass gallery. Mom brought us fully inside the apartment and gave us the grand tour. The kitchen was to the left and the family room to the right. The kitchen had a counter that jutted out and acted as a table **(like Marinette's)**. The family room had a TV on the back wall and couches surrounding it. There was a hallway next to us that led us to 3 bedrooms and a painting space for my mom. Ryan and I had to share a bathroom; mom got her own.

She brought me and Ryan to our bedrooms where our boxes lay. She wanted us to unpack them ourselves. We dumped our stuff in our respective rooms and sat with our mom at the kitchen table. We didn't do much unpacking, instead enjoying the comfort of family.

******************

The next week we spent unpacking our boxes. It was hard for me to do anything because the jet lag took me a full 3 days to get over. My schedule was all out of whack. During that time I got my room unpacked. Because I was already homesick within the first week, my mom painted a forest setting on the wall to the right of my door. My green and white bed sat on it with a fake skin rug on the floor. On the wall opposite my mural sat a dark oak dresser in the right corner and a desk in the left. A shelf was above it that held all my skating trophies. The wall with my door held my dark oak bookshelf filled with my book collection. Above it sat my collection of photos I took from Montana. Everything from mountains to my friends to my father sat on my wall. On the wall opposite my door sat a balcony and a floor length mirror. Mom gave the balcony to me because she wanted to give me some freedom, which I really appreciated, especially right now. Everything was perfect and it reminded me of home.

Today was Friday. I had two days left until Ryan and I started school. But I was too nervous for tonight to focus on my anxiety about school. Tonight my mom was unveiling all her art at her gallery. It was supposed to happen earlier in the week, but my mom wanted her kids there.

Ryan was excited to finally get out and talk to people, but I was nervous about talking in French. Because of this, Ryan and Mom are only talking to me in French. It has definitely been difficult. It was 9 a.m. when my mom called us to the kitchen. I had just finished getting ready. I was wearing dark blue skinny jeans with a long grey shirt and an oversized green vest. My long brown hair was in my classic side braid. I walked in and saw her and Ryan already at the table.

**(In French!)**

"Are you guys excited for this tonight?" She asked. "More importantly, do you guys have the clothes? This is formal, so we have to look nice."

"I obviously have a suit ready to go, but I don't think Aria has anything other than t-shirts and floral print," he said sarcastically, even though it was true.

"Yeah, okay, I don't have anything. Could Ryan take me? No way am I going into Paris alone," I asked Mom while joining her at the kitchen table. She agreed and handed Ryan some money and shooed us out the door. We had to be back by 4. I could've gone with mom, but I have no idea what I'd say. We have barely spoken about the move, except for the fight that happened after I found out.

We walked around Paris for a while. We managed to find a cute boutique and get a dress with some accessories for the unveiling. I was uncomfortable with the crowded streets, but my brother helped me. As we were walking back home, the temperature dropped and we noticed this crazy girl in a purple and white dress floating in the sky. Floating! What the hell is going on here?!

Ryan grabbed me and pushed me into an alley with my dress when suddenly he got blasted by the wind! I jumped up and ran to the edge of the alley and I screamed his name as I saw him fly down the street. I was about to leave my safe spot to get him when this dude in black caught him and dropped him in the alley behind me.

I quickly ran to them, dress forgotten, to see Ryan unconscious. I sat down and hugged him, trying to wake him up.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine! My bugaboo will fix everything up! Just stay here," he said arrogantly in a crouched position in front of me, his glowing green eyes staring into my blue ones. Before I could say anything, he lept into the street, leaving me holding my brother alone.

************************

10 minutes passed of me trying to wake him up, then these ladybug things came and swirled around him. He woke up confused and dazed. "Aria? What's going on?"

"I have no clue," I replied shocked, helping him up. I found my dress, somehow still perfect, and we quickly walked home. What surprised us the most is that no one seems too affected by the fact that there was a weather attack, a floating girl, a green eyed boy, and hoards of ladybugs. Once we got home, we immediately asked mom about it.

She explained that Paris had superheroes called Ladybug and Chat Noir that defeated these villains, but that's about all she knew. Oh, I thought, so that's who the boy was. She shrugged off the superheroes too like it was no big deal. Which is crazy because it totally was! The closest thing we had to supervillains were the high schoolers that had weed all the time that everyone, but the cops apparently, knew about. What's scariest is no one seemed to freak out or get really scared. What type of town is this?!


	2. The Party

It was 4 p.m. by now, so it was time to get ready. Mom wanted me to look good because apparently Paris's wealthy were showing up. I doubted that because this was supposed to be a small unveiling for a small gallery...right?

I shook off my anxiety and started getting ready in my bathroom. Ryan was in there too, gelling his hair. I wanted my hair to look normal, but fancier, so I put in two small braids that connected in the back. The rest of my brown hair flowed out beneath the braids, slightly curled. With my makeup, I went for a natural look that made my blue eyes shine. Once I was finished, I went back to my room to put on my dress. Ryan was already dressed in an all black suit with an emerald green tie to match my emerald dress. My mom wanted all of us to be matching. I had a sleeveless emerald dress that cut off right below the knees. I wore black pumps and a black shawl to match. I wore pearl earrings and a pearl necklace.

I looked fancy as hell. People would never guess I was a small time girl. Not gonna lie, I liked the anonymity.

We met in the kitchen and awaited our taxi. Mom looked nice, too. She wore a black floor length dress with a green jacket and green jewelry. She was the opposite of me.

Once the taxi arrived, we all descended the stairs and got in the cab. A short while later, we got to the gallery, and it was not what I expected.

We pulled up to The Centre Pompidou, one of the best known art galleries in Paris. I was shocked! Mom never told us she got a job here! This place is huge!

"Mom!" I asked as we stepped out of the car. "Why didn't you tell me you got a job...um.. here? This place is in-incredible!" We started walking towards the building. The unveiling didn't start for another hour.

"Surprise! This was the most prestigious offering, so I took it! It comes with great benefits, and all the world will see our family's name on famous paintings! Isn't it incredible?" She asked happily. The smile immediately dropped from my face. Sure, it was incredible for her to get this job, but that doesn't make it good for the family, or for me. Ryan sensed my discontent and immediately picked up the conversation. He really is the best brother.

We went inside and Mom spoke to a person setting up about the layout and the guests. I walked around for a bit, getting a feel for the area. Her paintings lined all the walls of the exhibit. In the center of the room sat a cluster of high top tables for people to eat at. A nearby server with blue pigtails almost spilled a tray of macaroons on me, but quickly dodged me at the last second. She apologized profusely before running away. I didn't even get the chance to speak.

***************

Soon enough, guests started arriving at this unveiling. It seemed to be more of a gala based on the amount of wealth and status in one room. Ryan and I walked around speaking to guests and promoting Mom's art. I met some local stars, which was interesting. After we said goodbye to Jagged Stone, Ryan pulled me aside and spoke English for the first time tonight.

"I'm so impressed with your French! You are nailing it out there!" He cheered quietly.

"Thanks! I don't even know how I'm managing!" I said with a big smile. He was about to speak when we saw the mayor come in. We recognized him from his prominent sash. Next to him is what we can assume is his daughter. While walking to them, Ryan quickly said to watch out for her. He has heard horrible things about her.

"She can't be that bad! That would embarrass Paris!" I whispered back.

"She's a lot like Beatrice from back home." Wow, she must really be bad. We haven't spoken about her since I was in middle school and the incident happened. We finally reached them and I greeted them as nicely as I could.

"Oh, so you're the children of that wannabe artist we are seeing tonight? Please, that's just embarrassing for her based on your clothes alone!" She sneered. "Besides, I bet her art isn't even good! She probably stole it out of the same bin she found your dress," She flipped her hair.

"Excuse me?" Ryan said. I could see him getting angry, so I stepped in using my English.

"I'll say this slowly for you since you probably can't understand a word I'm saying. First off all, your clothes may be expensive, but they are garbage. Yellow is a horrible color and it makes you look bloated. Second of all, you wouldn't know good art if it bit you in the ass; third of all, I feel very bad for your father because he must hate having to deal with a bratty child like you," I spoke softly and with a smile, so she had no idea what I was saying. She demanded a translator and called me 'utterly ridiculous' for speaking english in France.

Ryan, being sly, said that my French was rusty and that I complimented her outfit; it didn't work too well because he was laughing a little while saying it. She 'humphed' and stormed away saying we were all ridiculous. Her dad followed after her, smiling softly.

After Ryan and I moved away from the entryway, he complimented me on putting her in her place. I'm surprised he did, seeing as he knows my history with bullies. Suddenly, he coughed lightly and looked at me pointedly. I turned around to see a boy with blonde hair and green eyes in an all black tux. He had a gorilla-looking man and a woman with glasses with him. He was handsome, I'll admit. I looked to see Ryan blushing. He must think the boy is handsome, too.

Ryan seemed too starstruck to do anything, so I decided to approach him. I walked up to him and introduced myself in perfect french, not forgetting a single word or stuttering for the first time tonight. I smirked to myself.

"I'm Adrien Agreste, it is nice to meet you. I assume this is for your mom?" he asked, moving us away from the man and woman behind him.

"Yes, this whole event is, uh, organized for her. I know this will sound weird, but have I seen you before? You look a little... familiar. I hope that was the right word," I asked, while mumbling the last part in English. We walked up to one of my mom's paintings. It was one of the lakes right outside our town during winter. It was a cloudy day and the woods surrounded the lake. You could see small skates in the foreground of the painting. It sat in an elegant gold frame on the wall.

"Yah, I'm sort of a model for my dad's fashion brand," he said while rubbing his neck. "I hope this doesn't sound rude, but where are you guys from? I haven't heard an accent like that before."

"My family is from Montana in the United States. We moved here last week. I'm actually-" my sentence was cut off by a deafening scream. People started running all around, trying to escape. A man in a colorful suit was yelling for Ladybug and Chat Noir. His left top half was red, the right was yellow, and the bottom was blue. The colors splattered in the middle like a paint palette. He held a giant sword in the shape of a brush. When he hit people with it, they froze and became a primary color. He grabbed my hand and dragged me to a secluded table to hide under. We sat under it, hearing the man, Paint Master as he called himself, hit people with his sword thing.

"Stay here! You'll be safe!" he shouted, getting up to leave.

"Where are you going?!" I sat under the table, poking my head out to see what was happening. Most people were frozen, some were hiding, like me. I couldn't see my family or that boy. I hadn't even been in Paris a week, and I already witnessed two super villains!

However, Ladybug and Chat Noir showed up. It was so awesome seeing them battle. Their powers still confused me, but I figured I'd research them at home. Now I got to see Chat Noir clearer. The only thing I remember were his eyes and his leather mask, but now I see his full costume and let me just say, he was hot. I'd be blushing if I wasn't scared right now.

I sat under the table, listening to the battle. Soon I heard Ladybug shout something I couldn't quite understand, and then it was all over.

***************

Ladybug stuck out her hand for their usual 'pound it', but instead looked over to see her kitty rushing over to a table. She saw him bring a girl up from under it. She could tell Chat made a joke because she giggled and blushed. They were standing quite close together. Ladybug just sighed, and headed out to transform back to Boring Marinette, a pit settling in her stomach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is also on Wattpad and it has pictures!


	3. Piano

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNkc-lfHeNQ  
> This is the song she play!

It was Sunday morning, two days after the opening. It pretty much ended after the akuma. I didn't get to talk to him again. It didn't bother me too much though, seeing him again was highly unlikely, anyway.

Yesterday, I roamed around on the internet and found the Ladyblog. It explains everything about the heroes and I even got to see Ladybug and Chat Noir in action. I printed a photo of Chat Noir and hung it above my bookcase. He seems kinda awesome. He usually helps the victims and is always sacrificing himself for Ladybug. I felt bad for him. He gets hurt way more than Ladybug, but no one notices, or seems to care.

One thing I learned for sure is to never have negative emotions. This Hawk Moth guy sounds super scary and I don't want to deal with him at all. I could never imagine hurting people like that. The more I learn about all the stuff that happens here, the more I want to go home.

I finally got out of bed, reminding myself not to be negative. I got dressed in light blue skinny jeans with a white t-shirt that had flowers across the chest and put in my classic side braid. I went to the bathroom, did the necessities, and headed to the kitchen for some breakfast. I stopped in my tracks when I realized no one was home.

I walked to the fridge and found a note from Mom, in french. Thanks for making it difficult, Mom. the note read:

_Aria,_

__

_Ryan and I went out shopping for school stuff for tomorrow! We are grabbing lunch too, so we won't be back until at least 1. Text if you are going out!_

__

__

__

_Love you,_

____

__

____

_Mom_

____

I looked at the clock. It's only 9:30! They couldn't have waited?! Whatever. I texted Mom telling her I was gonna explore Paris, much to her delight. I slipped on a pair of red, high top converse, grabbed my camera, my phone, an apple for breakfast, and headed out the door.

____

I was mainly looking for photos for my collection. Photography was a hobby of mine. I liked capturing moments or scenes forever. It was nice to always have them. Besides, I was hoping to show my friends stuff I saw in Paris when we go back to Montana. Photography was definitely fun, but it wasn't my passion. Skating was my passion. Dad took me out on the ice since I could walk. Those are the only memories I have of him. I went to competitions all the time back home. Those were the only times I went into cities, but sightseeing wasn't what I was focused on. I got pretty good. People called me a prodigy and I was hoping to go into the junior olympics.

____

But I don't skate anymore.

____

After walking around the city for a bit and taking pictures, I came upon a park. It had lush trees and grasses. It held a fountain and a carousel. Wow! Paris really goes all out. Instead of sitting down on a bench like a normal person, I secured my phone and camera on myself and climbed a tree near the end of the park. I climbed trees all the time back home. Ryan and I even made a game out of it.

____

I sat high up, studying the park around me. My back was against the trunk and my legs rested on the branch. I hung my camera from a smaller branch above me and tucked my phone into my pocket. I relaxed and enjoyed the tranquility. It was the first time since getting here I was truly peaceful.

____

"Hello there," said a voice from below me.

____

So much for peace and quiet. I sighed and looked below me to see a boy with black and blue hair. He had a guitar around him. He had a cool sweatshirt and bright blue eyes, close to mine.

____

"Who are you?" I asked, hoping to get this over with so I could get back to my tranquility.

____

Much to my surprise, he climbed into the tree as well, guitar and all, and sat on a branch opposite to mine. "I'm Luka. And you aren't from around here, are you?" He asked with a very calm tone of voice.

____

"I'm Aria and I'm not. I'm new to Paris." He seemed interesting. He had a very calm and kind way about him. If I didn't know any better I would guess he really likes weed. He doesn't smell like it, though. "Nice guitar. What can you play?"

____

"Anything you want. I was born with a guitar. You seem to be like this..." He started strumming a melody that seemed harsh, but turned gentle and soft at the end.

____

"Sorry, dude. But I'm not a very... soft person. I lived in the woods with bears and harsh winters. You don't get soft from that," I smirked. Maybe this guy was high after all...

____

"Whatever you say." He shrugged with a smirk, "you play anything?" He started strumming another melody, this one upbeat and fun.

____

"Yeah, I play some keys. I'm self taught though. I always wanted to learn, I just never got the opportunity," I said, remembering the times I snuck into the music room to run my hands along the keys. "I've been playing for a few years now, but I still can't read sheet music." I laughed at myself. A pianist who can't read! Sounds like a made for TV movie.

____

"I can show you, if you want. I have a keyboard at my place."

____

I stopped giggling and immediately looked at him. "You serious? No way! I just met you, I'm not going to your house!" I grabbed my stuff and jumped out of the tree, trying to get away from this creep. Who the hell was this guy anyway?!

____

He quickly jumped after me as well and stopped strumming, slinging the guitar back around his back. "You aren't very trusting, are you? I promise I only have good intentions. My house is right here in Paris. You can call the cops if you want, but I'm really not a creep."

____

I looked him up and down for a solid minute. He did seem to want to genuinely help me, but I was still wary. I formulated a quick plan, just in case anything went wrong. "Fine, I'll go with you. But, if you even think of doing something creepy, I'll be very, very angry." He just smiled at me and started walking off. I texted my brother I met a friend and turned on my GPS, just in case.

____

To my shock, we took a walk to a boat in the river. It was decked out and had a stage set up with a keyboard, drumset, mics, and guitars. It looked very professional. I actually really loved it, but I wouldn't tell him that. He guided me to the piano and told me to play anything I wanted so he could get a feel for my music. I sat down and started playing one of my all time favorites, Knocking On Heaven's Door. It was simple, but truly beautiful. I got lost for a minute, forgetting where I was.

____

Once I finished, I coughed, trying to cover up the blushing spreading to my face. He was shocked. He clearly wasn't expecting me to play that.

____

"Aria, that was beautiful. I'm surprised. You are already really good," he complimented. "Teaching you will be really, really hard."

____

My face turned to utter shock. "What? You just said I'm good! Learning should be a piece of cake for me!" I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest.

____

"That's the problem. You already know so much but we have to go back to basics. You're way beyond that so it will be harder for you," he explained, taking a seat besides me on the bench. I sighed, he did have a point there.

____

For the next two hours, he tried to teach me some basics, like treble clef and stuff. It is harder than I thought. We played together for a while until his sister showed up. We got introduced, and so far I think she is the coolest amongst Paris's teens. I wouldn't admit it to Luka, but they were both pretty awesome. Before I realized it, Juleka, Luka, and I had spent the whole afternoon together and it was time to head home. I managed to get their phone numbers and Luka and I talked about setting up permanent lessons on Sunday. I had a lot to do if my reading was to catch up to my hands.

____

On my way home, I thought about my week in Paris so far. I found a beautiful park, made two friends, met Chat Noir, and scored myself a piano teacher. My mind went from what I gained to what I lost. No more midnight strolls, skating on the lakes, no more hometown friends, and no more climbing trees with Ryan. No more Dad, either. But... Now I can bury my past.

____

I finally get the clean slate I wanted. Is it worth it, though?

____

Crap, I sure as hell hope so.

____

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, sorry that she's so negative! She gets better though ;)


	4. First Day of School

_no..... please.... don't, don't break them...... stop....why won't you stop?_

I woke up quickly, sitting up in my bed. My alarm wasn't set to go off for another 30 minutes. I was sweating and my arms ached. I was so sick and tired of having this dream. I sighed and got out of my bed, deciding to get ready early seeing as I'm already awake. I got dressed in a white t-shirt that said 'Wander' with an arrow through it. I wore light blue jeans and a cute green jacket on top. I put my hair in the "Katniss Everdeen" braid and went to the kitchen for some breakfast.

Mom had gotten up early and made pancakes and bacon. I thanked her and quickly stuffed my mouth full. Soon, Ryan joined and did the same. We grabbed our new backpacks, courtesy of mom, and rushed out the door. We walked the whole way and I told Ryan all about Juleka and Luka. Once we made it to the school, Ryan dragged me inside, knowing I wouldn't go in myself.

"Come on, sis. You have to do this one way or another!" We were standing just below the steps of the school, College Francois Dupont. My feet weren't moving forward and my mouth went dry. Once we went inside, we really couldn't go back. I knew this, and that was too scary. I gripped the straps of my dark green bag and turned around. I wasn't doing this. No way. Not today. I'm NOT ready.

Ryan sighed and slapped a hand to his forehead. He ran in front of me and said the only thing he could think of to snap me out of my stupor. "What would Dad think right now?"

I finally looked into his blue eyes. _He would probably be disappointed I gave up so easily. Everyone knows that isn't me._ I sighed and gritted out, "fine, let's go inside."

He smiled, grabbed my arm, and took me inside. The school was very pretty and had an open floor plan, nothing like our school back home. We walked around and found the principal's office. Ryan, as usual, did most of the talking while I looked around. The principle looked very owlish to me. However, he seemed to be on the nicer side despite his huge build.

I got my classes and locker from Ryan, and we left to go to our lockers. We got here quite early, so only a handful of students were wandering around, much to my joy. Because we were two years apart, we had separate lockers, lunches, everything. Of course. We finally parted ways for the day. He wished me good luck and farewell before running off to find his locker. I found mine and put away my stuff with almost no issues. I looked around for Juleka, we discovered we both go here, but I didn't see her yet.

I walked around and went to my first class of the day, my nerves eating at me. I still had 5 minutes before the bell rang. I slipped into class, reading with Bustier, and found no teacher present. Of. Freaking. Course. I leaned against the wall near the desk. What would dad say? He would say to think positive and to think of things as an adventure. I tried to use his advice and found that the day has actually gone quite well.

We woke up on time, I had a great breakfast, and there was no issue with my school transcripts. I also got a cute message from Luka wishing me good luck. I blushed a little at the thought. I turned my head to see that Bustier had finally entered the classroom. I quickly introduced myself and told her I was the new student.

"It is so nice to meet you! We can talk more at the end of class to get you caught up. Would you like to introduce yourself to the class?" She asked politely, with a smile. I already knew she was gonna be a good teacher.

"Sure, miss!" I hadn't realized it, but the class had arrived while we were talking. Thankfully, they were talking amongst themselves while I met the teacher. She turned away from me and clapped her hands to get their attention.

***************

Adrien sat down at his desk while Nino rambled on about a new video game. Usually he would listen, but he was too tired, and hungry, to be interested. He looked up to see a girl speaking to Ms. Bustier. He couldn't tell who it was because her back was facing him.

"Hey Nino, who is that?" he asked, even though Nino was still talking.

"No idea. Guess we got a new student. Hope she's cool, though," Nino turned behind him to see Alya and asked her. She didn't know either.

Ms. Bustier started clapping and called for our attention. "Everyone, we have a new student! Please tell us a little bit about yourself."

Standing next to Ms. Bustier was the girl, Aria he believed, from the benefit his father forced him to go to. She looked different in her street clothes, but her hair was similar, he noted.

"Hello, my name is Aria Dubois. I'm from America and I love ice skating and watching sports. And that's about it," she said, shrugging her shoulders. Ms. Bustier told her to sit in the back next to Ivan. As she was walking up, she stopped by his desk and looked at him questioningly.

"You're that guy right, Adrien? Hm, nice to see another familiar face." She smiled and continued to her seat, waving at Juleka before she sat down. Adrien had been too shocked to say anything. They barely talked, yet she remembered him. It was nice to know somebody did.

***************

I managed to make it to lunch without crying. The only thing that kept me from bursting into tears was remembering Hawk Moth feeds on that crap. It was so hard to keep up with the lessons in school. The only subject I fully understood was math. Numbers are the same in all languages.

My notes were really sloppy. It was a mix of english and the french words I didn't understand. Honestly, this day just ruined all the progress I had been making in France. Screw this, I wanted out. I wanted to go home. As I left the science classroom, I made my way to the lockers. I put my stuff away and grabbed my lunch. There was another park next to the school. I slipped out of the locker room and the school. I was walking over there, until-

"Aria!" a squeaky voice said. A short girl in all pink ran in front of me. "My name is Rose! Juleka told me about you and we wanted to know if you would sit with us!"

I turned around and saw Juleka behind me. My shoulders relaxed, for the first time today. _Maybe sitting with them is good. Maybe they could even explain some things to me,_ I thought. I quietly agreed to sit with them. They dragged me away to their cafeteria and we sat at a table with another girl. She had a hippie vibe about her.

Juleka introduced me to her. The hippie girl is Mylene. The three girls talked for awhile about school gossip and classes. I stayed out of it, not wanting to draw attention to myself.

"Hey, Aria," Mylene asked, interrupting me from my thoughts, "how is your first day?"Juleka and Rose looked to me, wanting to know as well.

"Um, well, if I'm being honest, it has been a tad... overwhelming." I shrugged, trying to be casual. I didn't want to lie, but I also don't want to show how much I'm struggling. Juleka hummed, in her typical way, and Rose suggested I go talk to Max. He's a science nerd that is super smart and has perfect English.

"Do you think he'll tutor me?" I asked, putting down my sandwich.

"Yah, he's cool," Juleka said, while smiling at me. I breathed a little easier, finally joining in with them on the conversations about the school. I discovered that this girl, Marinette I think, likes Adrien. They didn't go into too much detail, but I could tell she was in love with him, maybe even to a creepy extent.

Welp, I thought to myself, at least I know who to avoid other than Chloe. I definitely didn't want to be caught up in that drama.

***************

Once school was over the day, I caught up with Max and asked him about tutoring. He gave me all these fancy stats about how people improve with tutors and stuff. At least he finally spoke my language, numbers. I thanked him profusely and we decided to tutor twice a week at the school, Mondays and Fridays. As I walked home, Ryan had an after school thing, I thought about everything that has happened so far and I was mentally organizing my life. I set up my house, got a piano teacher and a tutor, and already made some friends. I took a deep breath in. Hopefully, things will turn out okay. Hopefully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know. She hasn't really talked to Adrien yet. She will soon, don't worry. The first five are only to set her up as a character. 
> 
> Leave a comment if you're confused or want to say Hi or something else entirely!


	5. School

Aria closed her notebook and fell back against the chair in the library. Max and her had been at it for two hours, and they just finished with the notes of the day. They had been meeting every day after school since her first day on Monday. Today was Friday, so she was really looking forward to the weekend.

The plan was to meet only two days a week, but she quickly discovered that she needed more help than she thought. So they discussed having after school tutoring everyday for the first two weeks. Then they would slowly cut down the days. Aria insisted on paying Max because he spent so much time helping her. He didn't agree, but he started finding twenties in his locker. He gave up and they settled on ten.

Max noticed two things about Aria: she was smarter than she let on, and she was very quiet. She always caught on to what he was saying. The main problem she had was simply the language. He noticed she was quiet, not necessarily shy, because she didn't talk about her life. Most people talk about their siblings and family, but she never said anything. He was curious, to say the least. 

***************

Rose and Mylene were put off by Aria when she first arrived. She had a certain straightforwardness about her; she would tell you exactly what she thinks, no hesitations. They quickly warmed up to her. She had a new perspective on things that the girls, Mylene, Rose, and Juleka, learned to trust. Aria was very unbiased, so she made for a great confidant. Her straightforwardness had its downsides too. It didn't take long for that to be known.

During Aria's second week, Rose wanted to paint the girls' nails during lunch. Aria begrudgingly agreed. She wasn't used to hanging with girly girls, but she still found herself liking the new friends she had. Rose painted her nails red to go with Aria's red and white striped shirt. While her nails were drying, a football crash landed on their table.

Kim, Alix, and Ivan were messing around with American football, in the cafeteria no less. Aria had gotten up to tell them off, but Rose and Mylene wanted to let it go. There was no need to get anybody in trouble. But Aria refused. She and Kim started arguing. Juleka, Rose, and Mylene shared a look because they knew this was gonna end with more stupid bets.

***************

Kim and Ivan looked across the field to Alix and Aria. They agreed to play a football game after Kim and Aria had an argument yesterday. It had started with Aria scolding him about playing indoors, and ended up being Kim saying she doesn't know anything because she's a girl. Alix was gonna step in and challenge him, but she beat her to it.

Now Alix and Aria devised a plan. They had to be quick and nimble because they couldn't beat the guys, especially Ivan, when it came to strength. Alix was shocked, in a good way, when she discovered how much Aria knew about football. She knew so many plays and strategies. Honestly, they would win this game just because of the brain power Alix and Aria had when it came to sports.

Unsurprisingly, the girls did win, by a landslide. Kim got angry, almost getting akumatized, but he let it go for the sake of peace. He didn't want to admit defeat, but it turns out she knew her crap. After the game, she offered to teach both Ivan and Kim about football strategies. They all agreed and decided they would have an annual football viewing. Alix, of course, was invited too.

She ended up benefiting the most from the game. She started permanently sitting with Aria, Mylene, Rose, and Juleka. She had sat with them a few times before, but now it was official. Aria and her actually had lots in common. Soon, Aria was her best friend. 

***************

Nathaniel didn't know much about Aria. He had talked to her a couple of times during art class, but only about assignments. She was into photography and had some really cool pictures. He talked to Alix about her often, trying to know her from afar. Nathaniel wanted to get introduced, but was too shy. Hopefully he'd meet her soon.

At the end of her second week, she came to Nathaniel and asked for his help. She had a problem with a setting on her camera and needed someone 'artsy' to help her. She was very quiet, but firm in the way she spoke. He was shocked, especially because she seemed so different when yelling at Kim or talking with the girls.

Nathan helped her with her camera, and had even shown her how to use the new setting at the park after school. She opened up a little more and they had a good time. He wouldn't classify them as best friends, but now they talk in school and share different pieces with each other. It was a more serene friendship with her.

***************

Chloe did not like Aria. She was such a brat. Worst of all, she got the whole class to turn against her! It was ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous! It had been three weeks since she got here, and everything was over for Chloe. Needless to say, she was cooking up something cold to give to Aria.

***************

Adrien had only talked to the new girl once, and that was her first day. Since then, she has talked to almost everyone but his friends. It was annoying honestly. He tried talking to her, but she always had something to do or someone else to talk to.

He was there for the football game and the fight with Kim and he saw her with Nathaniel at the park. By the third week, he knew she was avoiding him. He talked to Nino about it, and he said the same thing. It didn't bother Nino as much as it bothered Adrien. Adrien hated being left out. And this was no exception. What was worse was that his own friends were being punished too, and he didn't even understand why. When he first met her at the benefit, he thought she could join his very short list of friends. Now, he was just confused.

He spoke to Alya, and she explained she and Marinette haven't met her either. This bothered him for weeks, and he decided to get to the bottom of whatever was going on. He just hoped they wouldn't get excluded by the other classmates, too.

***************

Marinette did NOT like the new girl. She was very unfriendly towards Marinette and Alya. They talked to the girls about it, and they said Aria isn't warm at first, but she still has their backs. This made her even angrier! Why would they ever want to hang out with someone who isn't friendly?

Marinette feared the girl would be another Chloe, but no one would listen. The only thing she liked about Aria was that she didn't seem to like Adrien. This was great for Marinette. However, she found out, from Alya, that Adrien was upset that they weren't friends. Marinette decided to investigate the girl. Something definitely wasn't right about her, and Marinette was gonna expose her!

***************

Before I even realized what happened, I had spent a month in Paris. I wouldn't admit this to my mom, but I was gradually starting to enjoy Paris. The overwhelming streets became less overwhelming. I still get nervous and lost sometimes, but my french has definitely improved. This is thanks to Max. We finally cut down our meets to three times a week, and hopefully it will continue to drop.

As for Kim and Ivan, I now have sports fans to debate with. I had some guy friends back home, but we most talked about hockey, not football. Our school was tiny and had long winters, making football difficult to have.

Alix and Juleka are my closest friends. I wouldn't call them my best friends, I don't usually have those, but they still are nice to talk with. Alix and I are constantly debating which is faster, blades or skates, but we haven't had that match yet. Rose and Mylene are good friends, too. They bring out my feminine side, which is rare. I never had female friends back home. Never.

Nathaniel was nice. He was an acquaintance who shared my interest with art. He liked to draw it while I captured it, but he still helped me out with my camera settings. That was much appreciated on my end.

When it came to Chloe and Sabrina... eh. I didn't think about them much. Or at all.

The biggest trouble has been the group of four at the front. I've talked to them vaguely, but I keep away. I don't need the drama. That's just another reason I don't get along with girls. Girls with crushes are worse. I don't need similar middle school problems.

Luka was my favorite so far. I've learned a lot on the keys over the past few weeks. One more month of lessons and I might not need lessons anymore. That's a scary thought.

Even with the good, I still miss home. I miss the smell of the woods and skating on ice and having lunch with the boys. I text them frequently, but they are responding less and less. The time difference between us makes it worse.

I was hoping that, after a while, Mom would want to move back. But nope! She loves her new job and has made friends with her work colleagues. Ryan loves it here, too. He even got himself a proper boyfriend. It's nice to see him happy, truly happy. The reality of going back home is slowly becoming fiction. I've been trying to make this an adventure, like Dad would want, but it doesn't feel the same to me.

Let's get something straight: I'm not an overly happy person, unlike everyone else here. I just don't see things the way they do, or even how my family does. This new environment keeps testing everything about me. I'm constantly surrounded by happy people. Don't get me wrong, my friends back home were happy, but they were more calm, down to earth. Everyone here keeps getting sucked up into these crazy adventures, and I just don't fit in. No one here has the experiences I've had. No one has seen the Northern lights, or had wolves howl less than a mile away.

I'm starting to enjoy my time here, but there's still _something_ missing.

What exactly? I don't know. But if I don't find out, I might spiral again.

And maybe it won't end as well this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is super super important!


	6. The Pharaoh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aria and Adrien meet, again.

I walked into school, talking with Ryan about how the akuma, known as Timebreaker, was actually my friend, Alix. I gave him the story for the tenth time since it happened. Ever since we saw our first akuma, Stormy Weather, Ryan has been obsessed with the superheroes. He thinks what they do is awesome and I, unfortunately, don’t stop hearing about it. 

He’s researched all the latest villains: Stormy Weather, Timebreaker, and even the latest one, Copycat. It happened on Friday, apparently. I don’t like to talk to him about Ladybug that much, only Chat Noir. He saved my brother’s life, so it’s hard to forget about him. I wish I could thank him for it. I tried to talk to him during Timebreaker, but he hightailed it out of there before I got the chance. 

After we went our separate ways, I dropped my stuff in my locker and headed to my first period of the day. 

**************  
Marinette got to class early, for the first time this year. She needed to speak to Alya about the Tutankhamun exhibit at the Louvre. She had to convince Alya that Ladybug wasn’t a high school student, or she might discover Ladybug’s identity! This could NOT happen! Marinette couldn’t afford to lose Tikki. 

Marinette sat down next to Alya and explained that she found out Ladybug is in an exhibit at the museum. Alya got super excited, so they decided to go right after school. 

“Marinette, she’s really mentioned in the exhibit? How’d you find this out?” Alya asked, while getting her stuff out for class. 

“I, uhm, well, I… I went there with Manon! Yeah, I wanted to teach her about history and I-I saw it! Ladybug was mentioned in that exhibit!” Marinette lied quickly. She couldn’t exactly say a floating bug that gives her magical powers told her about it. 

Aria was walking up to her desk when she heard that. Usually she wouldn’t talk to them, but that piqued her interest. _Maybe I could show it to Ryan. He’d love it,_ she thought to herself. She stopped in front of Marinette and asked, “where did you see this? Do you know if, if Chat Noir is in it, too?” Aria looked away when she asked.

Adrien and Nino walked in to see Aria talking to the girls. They both looked at each other and shrugged. This is new, she’s certainly never talked to them before. Marinette answered her question and Aria promptly sat down. She sparked up a conversation with Rose, who was next to her. 

Adrien and Nino took their seats. Adrien turned to Alya and asked, “what was that all about?” 

“She was asking about Char Noir. No clue why,” Alya responded. Adrien looked to Marinette to see her gawking at him, so he waved slightly and turned to Nino. They talked through the day and they couldn’t figure out what was so important about Chat Noir. Nino didn’t care that much, but Adrien cared a lot. What would she want with his alter ego? Did they ever meet before? If they hadn’t, why would she want to speak to him? 

The school day passed and these questions swirled around his mind. An akuma attacked the Louvre, so he left his house in order to stop the Pharaoh. 

After he and his Lady finished the akuma and got Alya to safety, he ran off into a nearby alleyway close to the Louvre. He looked around and, seeing nobody, closed his eyes released his transformation. _That was close,_ he thought, _Alya almost saw me._ That would’ve been bad. Adrien turned to leave the alley and founded the one thing he feared: a girl standing at the alley entrance with a shocked look on her face. 

“Adrien?”

**************

After school was over, I told Ryan about how Ladybug, and unfortunately NOT Chat Noir, was in an exhibit at the Louvre. He decided to take me there after we finished our homework. I protested, but he brought me anyway. He said something about this being a ‘new experience’ or whatever. I wanted to go home and watch a Marvel movie, but instead I had to watch him obsess over different heroes. Great way to start the week!

After we took the metro, we ended up a few blocks away from the museum. He pretty much dragged me there, as many other people had done to me for almost a month. Is getting dragged along by people a Parisian thing? It happens all the time at the school. We made it to the scene just in time to see Ladybug and Chat Noir finishing up an akuma. She screamed “Miraculous Ladybug!” and fixed all the damages and… mummies walking around? What kind of akuma is it this time? 

Unlike the last three times, I didn’t freak out when I first saw what was going on. I knew that they would eventually fix everything. At least now I understood why Parisians were always so calm. Still, that underlying panic is there. I’m surprised there hasn’t been an increase in PTSD cases around here. You’d think being almost killed a lot would be traumatizing. I felt even worse for the heroes. Millions of people are counting on them. They always fix it, but there's a possibility that eventually they can’t. I don’t think many people realize this; and if they did, they don’t talk about it. 

Ryan ran ahead of me to try and speak to the heroes before they left. I stayed back to tie my red converses which became untied during our walk. After I got up, I walked towards the corner to see if Ryan got to talk to them. However, I stopped when I saw Chat Noir in the alley in front of me. I was about to speak when a green light surrounded him and revealed…

“Adrien?” 

He looked at me with wide eyes. Wide GREEN eyes. I can’t believe I didn’t see it before! Even though I didn’t talk to him, those green eyes were so distinct. Panic flooded through me as I started backing away. _It was him this whole time? HIM?_ This doesn’t even make sense! How are they the same person?! Chat is very funny and flirty and cute and-and.... Adrien is nice and a little boring for my taste. Oh my God, I just figured out his identity! He’s a hero, he won’t hurt me, right? What does this mean for me? Is Hawk Moth gonna hurt me now to get his identity? Is my family in danger? Am I in danger? 

I started running once I got to the street. Too many scenarios and questions filled my head and I just needed _out._ Chat, er, Adrien, called after me. I didn’t want to stop and listen, I just kept running. I could barely breathe, so responding wasn’t possible. Finding out the person you may or may not like is actually a person you aren’t fond of is quite jarring. And again, he has SUPER VILLAINS after him! How am I supposed to handle that?! I’ve seen all the Marvel movies, I know what happens when someone reveals their identity. Short answer, nothing good!

**********

Adrien was currently thinly concealing his freakout. After she ran away, her brother ran up to him and asked what happened. He said that Aria just needed to use the bathroom real quick and that she was headed home. Her brother looked confused and turned around to call her. Adrien used this opportunity to turn and run back home. 

He managed to slip back into his room without anyone noticing he was gone. Go figure. He collapsed onto his desk chair and put his head in his hands. “Plagg! This is really, really, really bad! What am I going to do?! What if she tells someone? What if Ladybug finds out? What if-?” Adrien kept rambling while Plagg went over to his secret cheese stash. Plagg sighed. He had to be the voice of reason right now. He silently wished Tikki were there. She was much better at this. 

“Adrien, the top priority is making sure she doesn’t tell, right? So we have to find her. Let’s focus on that,” he spoke while munching on Camembert. 

Adrien let out a loud sigh. “You’re right, Plagg. I have to find her. I’ll reach out to people at school and see if anyone knows where she is.” He spent the next half an hour calling and texting everyone to see if anyone knew where she was. Most of the class didn’t know where she was. That is, until he texted Kim. Kim said he saw her in the park while he was jogging and that she didn’t acknowledge him which was “Totally uncool”. 

Adrien was grateful for the luck and transformed into Chat. He escaped through his window and headed towards the park. He found another alley to transform in and hid behind a trash can this time when he did it. After triple checking the area, he walked out and went to the park. He didn’t know much about her, so he was shocked to wander into the park and see her up in a tree. She didn’t seem to notice him, even when he was right below her. He jumped up into the tree with her. _Hopefully no one will see me,_ he thought. _Father would be furious._

They locked eyes for a second before she looked away. He could see her red rimmed eyes and the tear strokes on her face. “H-hi…” he tentatively said. 

“How did you find me?” She asked, looking down at the ground. 

“Kim saw you....” he paused. “Did you tell anyone?”

“I didn’t tell anyone.” They said at the same time. Aria chuckled a little. She was trying to be strong again and was slowly making herself look more presentable. She was crying, for the first time in a while, but no one needed to know that.

“I know this is a lot to take in, but can we please go somewhere private to talk about it? I’ll explain as best I can,” Adrien said, while rubbing the back up his neck. He looked up and noticed the tear streaks were gone. Did he imagine it? She agreed to leave and they jumped off the tree and exited the park. 

The akuma changed directions and went back to it’s master. The negative feelings had vanished.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a fun chapter to write. Let me know if you are confused or have any questions down below! And thank you for choosing my story!


	7. The Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They talk and Marinette finds out!

Adrien and I made our way to Love Lock Bridge. It was incredibly awkward and quiet the whole way. I answered a few texts when we got there. Most were from classmates. Ryan had a lot too. He kept asking where I was. I told him I was out with Luka and I would be home in an hour. Adrien looked super uncomfortable the whole way there. We found a bench and sat next to each other. The bridge was quite empty today. 

“So, I know you have a lot of questions about… everything, but first I want to apologize for transforming in front of you. I should’ve paid more attention. I also have to ask you not to tell anyone about this,” Adrien said. He sounded nervous at the prospect of people finding out his identity. 

“Don’t worry, Agreste. I won’t tell. I’ve seen enough TV and movies to know that’s a bad idea.” I rolled my eyes at him. I’m not stupid, not revealing a person's identity is Superheroes 101. “So, how’d you get these powers? And how did you change out of your costume so quickly? Deadpool takes forever!”

Adrien laughed openly. “It’s complicated and I don’t exactly know if I can tell you or not,” He said. I turned on the bench so that my legs were on either side. Adrien faced me and crossed his legs on the bench instead, leaning back. I was about to ask what he meant when a small black creature zipped out of his coat. 

“Go ahead and tell her, she knows who you are anyway,” the creature said with a nasally voice. I was about to scream when Adrien covered my mouth with his hands. 

“Please don’t scream! This is my kwami, Plagg,” he took his hands off and grabbed the creature. “You shouldn’t be out! Someone could see you!” Adrien put the kwama, kami, er, whatever thing back into his overcoat. 

“What is that thing?! Was it flying?” I gasped, my hands going to my mouth. I’ve never seen anything like it. 

“It's a kwami. He is a creature that gives me my powers. I know it sounds strange. Basically, he is the living embodiment of my powers when I’m not you-know-who.” He looked around while he said that, as if thinking he would be overheard even though the bridge was empty. 

“I guess that makes sense, but how do your powers go from a talking, floating cat thing to a black bodysuit? And how come a kwami hasn’t been discovered already? They seem hard to miss,” I questioned. The talking cat thing will take me awhile to understand. I’ve never seen a superhero like this before. 

Adrien showed me his silver ring. “This is my miraculous, it holds Plagg and distributes his power to me. Kwamis can’t be filmed or photographed and they can fly through things. They are very hard to capture.” The more he explained the more I understood. The ring he wore acted as a passageway from Plagg to Adrien. He explained how his powers worked and how he had the power of destruction. I knew some of this from watching the Ladyblog, but it was interesting to hear it straight from the source. Their powers made a lot more sense now. 

“Adrien,” I asked, “what’s going to happen now that I know who you are?” I looked down and fiddled with my thumbs.

He ran a hand through his blonde hair and sighed. “I have no idea. Usually I’m supposed to give Plagg up now that you know me, but I won’t let it happen. Besides, as long as you don’t tell anyone, my secret should be safe.” 

“That’s not what I meant. What’s going to happen with Hawkmoth? If he ever found out, EVER, my life and my family’s lives would be threatened. I’m not taking that risk. No one should be hurt because of this.” I pointed to the two of us, “what are we going to do to stop him from discovering I have a connection to Chat Noir?” 

“He shouldn't be able to find that out at all.” Adrien leaned back while I leaned forward. 

"I don't think that's true. If I'm ever targeted or my family is, he could find out on accident. Besides, he clearly uses his akumas as FaceTime. He'd be able to see for himself that we know each other. I don't know about you, but my acting isn't great. I won't lie about knowing you if I'm in trouble. Sorry to burst your bubble." I ranted, frustrated. Didn't he see how dangerous this is? How is he so oblivious?

Adrien rubbed his neck and looked down. "I..I guess you're right. We better not take any chances." He looked me in the eye, bolder now. "But there is a problem with Hawkmoth. LB and I haven't taken him down yet because we don't know who he is. He's a total recluse, so the only way to fight him is to discover his ID. It's impossible." 

“It’s not impossible, you just have to think logically. Although I don’t know if you're cut out for that like I am. You're all brawn, no brain.” I smirked, teasing him. I know what you’re about to say, and no, I’m not flirting! Just teasing a friend! ….Is he a friend? We barely know each other, afterall… My smirk changed into a frown as I pondered this.

“I’m sorry, is that a challenge?” Adrien asked, knocking me out of my thoughts. He got off the bench and stood above me, staring me down. 

I rose and turned to face him. His shoulders were at my nose. Damn his height! “Unfortunately, no. As much as I’d love to find out who could discover his identity the fastest, my family is on the line. I think we’ll have to work together on this.” I sighed, “though that won’t stop me from out-detectiving you!” 

He bent down and got close to my face. “I won’t either.” 

I didn’t move an inch and continued to stare at him. We were four inches apart. “Deal. We stick together to take down Hawkmoth in order to protect me and my family.” I stuck my hand out, not breaking eye contact. 

“And to protect the people of Paris.” He grabbed my hand and backed away. 

“Sure, to protect them, too.” I rolled my eyes. We shook hands and sat next to each other on the bench again. “To start off, tell me everything you know about Hawkmoth.”

****************

Alya got nervous. And maybe a little mad. But she was more worried than anything when she saw Marinette’s face.

They were on their way back home when they stopped near Love Lock Bridge. At first, Alya didn’t notice anything. She was discussing Ladybug theories when she realized Marinette was stopped a few feet behind her. Alya turned around to see where Marinette was looking.

There, right on the bridge, were Adrien and Aria. They were sitting pretty close and were talking animatedly. Marinette had a look of confusion that quickly shifted to anger. She was jealous. 

Marinette just couldn’t understand how _she_ was hanging with _her_ Adrien. They didn’t even talk! Marinette had spent months trying to talk to him. She memorized everything about him so that she could find ways to talk to him. She knew about basketball and fencing and even when he modeled. Some people thought she was a stalker, but that wasn’t accurate. She was more like a friend, hopefully soon to be girlfriend, that took an interest in him.

Yet that still didn’t work for her. They all thought Aria didn't like Adrien, yet she's already on a date with him?! 

She’s probably trying to manipulate him to get his money. Marinette planned on stopping right up to them to prove it as Ladybug. No one could dispute a hero’s word. Adrien would see she’s super sneaky and he wouldn’t date her and would date Marinette and they’d get married and have three kids and a hamster named-

“MARINETTE! Are you listening to me? I called your name like three times, girl!”

“Huh? Oh, yah I’m listening.” Marinette said while looking at Adrien and Aria. “Hey, do you think they're like… together?”

“I don’t know…” Alya moved closer to Marinette and put a hand on her shoulder. “I’ll do some digging. Don’t freak out, I bet nothing is going on.” Alya looked over to see Adrien and Aria standing really close together. 

“Yah, right. I bet they’re dating. He chose Aria over me. I’m just plain Marinette. I can’t even stand up to Chloe yet Chloe’s afraid of Aria. Everyone loves her more than me.” Marinette looked down, dejected. 

“Why should we care what they think? Just stay positive, Marinette. We wouldn’t want you to get gloomy! Besides, he didn't choose anyone over you because he doesn't know you're an option! Don't worry, I’ll investigate and see what’s going on.” Before Marinette could respond, Alya snapped a picture of them and ran off towards her home. 

Marinette sighed and went towards her house as well. She tried to stay positive despite how difficult it was. She had to be happy. Ladybug getting akumatized was her nightmare scenario. She can’t have everything go wrong in one day. Tikki looked at Marinette from her purse, offering words of encouragement. The words fell on deaf ears.

***************

Alya was busily texting on her phone. She sent Nino the photo along with a thousand questions. Nino said he didn’t know what was going on and was going to call Adrien. Alya sat at her desk, waiting for answers. 

It just didn’t make sense to her. They never talked before, at least not to Alya’s knowledge. Why would they all of a sudden start dating? Maybe Marinette was right and Aria was shady. She wasn’t exactly the nicest person, but Alya’s gut told her she was someone to be trusted. She always stood up for people and quickly gained the respect of her classmates. Yet, she never talked to Alya’s friends. She asked around, but no one knew why Aria didn’t like them. Apparently she was tight lipped about it. 

Alya was worried for Marinette, though. It was the small things, she noticed. Marinette was slowly, ever so slowly, becoming obsessed with Adrien. Alya thought he was cute and all, but not perfect like Marinette saw him. What was even more concerning was the schedule she had of him in her room. Alya walked into Marinette’s room one day and saw her making it. She was very confused and it bothered Alya that Marinette didn’t find it creepy at all. 

Alya was worried that Marinette was gonna freak on Aria. She was surprised Marinette handled it so well to begin with. However, she thought Mari was wrong. There was no way they were dating. Alya thought that Adrien had just finally become friends with her, like he wanted. There was no evidence that they were together. 

Alya looked down at her phone to see that Nino texted. Adrien said they just bumped into each other and started talking. Again, Alya found this a little weird. She never talks to them, so why now? Alya decided that her investigation wasn’t over; it was just beginning. 

***************

I finally got home and collapsed on my bed. Well, collapsed on the bed after Ryan yelled at me for running off and not texting for a while. I didn’t listen much; it has been a super long day and I just wanted to relax and think about things.

Now with a clear head, everything made sense. Adrien and Chat looked identical, _I wonder why?_ , although their personalities are different. Adrien said it was because he had to look perfect for his father, but Chat Noir didn’t. It made sense in a sad sorta way. I can’t imagine having to hide behind a mask 24/7. Ironically, his masked self is his true self. I snorted at the thought.

This day has gone completely different from what I thought it would be. Now I’m helping a masked boy take down an evil supervillain in order to protect my family. This should really be a TV show. Eh, it probably is. 

Even though our conversation soothed my anxiety, my nerves were still there. I didn’t want to do anything that could hint that we know each other, so Adrien and I agreed that we’d only meet as civilians. But the problem was we couldn’t meet at school because we have different friend groups and that could raise suspicion. Adrien asked me why I don’t hang out with them and I told him it was ‘cause of the drama. He asked ‘what drama’. Boys can be so oblivious to crushes sometimes. 

I got up and rummaged around in my desk for a blank notebook. Paper is best to write stuff down. It can’t be hacked into or traced. I started to write down everything about Hawkmoth. Unfortunately, that isn’t much at all. All Adrien knew was that Moth wants their Miraculouses and that he releases akumas days or weeks apart, which is pretty vague. Hawkmoth also has a kwami. Adrien and I need a lot of intel, even just the basics before his ID. We don’t know what he looks like or why he wants the Miraculouses. We don’t know anything about his kwami and we don’t know how he chooses his victims. Obviously they get upset, but people are upset all the time, all over the world. Why are these people special? 

I hid the notebook under my pillow. Mom texted dinner was ready. I’ll have to think about these questions later and how to get the answers. Obviously the internet won’t help, so we need to figure out something. I got up and went to the kitchen, my thoughts momentarily swaying to food.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up, this story will stray from the show. It won't be anything super major, but the changes will be obvious. They won't affect the original storyline, though. Anyway, thanks for reading! Comment if you are confused or just want to say hi!


	8. Lady Wifi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry this took so long! COVID has been hitting me hard recently. I'll try and be more on time in the future.

I looked down at Alya, confused as to what she was doing. She was holding up a piece of paper with a hole in it and looking through that hole at everyone else, except me. I was about to ask what was going on when Bustier handed out our homework assignments. The day was already halfway over, so I headed out to lunch. 

I got to my locker, put away my homework, and grabbed my food. Its been a few days since we talked and I’ve been doing research. Nothing came up, as expected. I decided that the first thing Adrien and I needed to do was look into Hawkmoth’s kwami. If we could figure out how Adrien got his, we could figure out how Hawkmoth got one as well. That could lead to learning about his powers and so on. Or better yet, that could lead to his identity! I just need to talk to Adrien about it. 

I looked all around the cafeteria, saying hi to other students along the way, before I gave up on my search. I wanted to talk to him about it before the next akuma so we could figure out a plan. Sighing, I went to the usual table and sat with the girls. Rose was talking about a new perfume with Juleka on my left while Alix started rambling about sports to Mylene on my right. She wanted to pick a new one after the whole Timebreaker incident. 

Suddenly, the table went dead quiet when all of our phones went off at the same time. 

Ladybug and Chat Noir have defeated another akuma and it, unsurprisingly, made the news. This explains why I can’t find him. I snorted, _so much for talking with him before the next akuma._

“Aria? What’s wrong?” Rose politely asked, looking at me. 

“Yah, you usually can’t hear about the heroes without going on a rant about Chat Noir.” Alix joked while rolling her eyes. 

I looked up from my phone, consciously realizing I hadn’t started eating. I took my sandwich out and stated, “I don’t rant, I just talk about the injustice Chat faces when it comes to the media’s view of him. That’s all. Besides, I don’t want to talk about him anymore.” I whispered the last part in English, looking down. It’s not as fun to have theories about him when you know who he is. That’s like meeting the actors of a TV show. You stop seeing the characters as characters and start seeing them as actors. It totally loses the hype. 

“Really? Since when?” Juleka asked, being the best English speaker at the table. Before I got to answer, Nino, of all people, walked up to our table and sat down across from me. All of us looked at each other with confusion. Since when does he sit with us?

“Hey, Nino! Nice to see you here! Is there something we can help you with?” Mylene asked. She was always good at getting a point across without being rude. 

“I just have a question for Aria.” He turned his attention to me. “What’s going on with you and my main man, Adrien? You two dating or something?” Nino crossed his arms. 

I nearly choked on my sandwich. “Wh-what d-do you mean ‘dating’? I barely know him! Hell, I barely know you! Don’t accuse me of anything! Adrien and I don’t talk and we don’t know each other so I don’t know where-” I stopped my nervous turned angry ramble when a phone was shoved in my face. It had a picture of Adrien and I at Love Lock Bridge. “What. The. Hell?! Are you fucking SPYING on me? I’m so done with this!” I hissed and got up to leave. Week one and I’m already causing suspicion about him. This is _totally_ a great start. 

Nino got up too and grabbed my arm to quickly explain. “Woah, woah, girl! Chill! Als saw you guys in the park and had some questions so I’m asking as a favor. Damn, bro. I didn’t think you’d be this upset!” I took a deep, calming breath. He’s right, I’m being overdramatic, one of my all time pet peeves. I took another calming breath and reminded myself not to be a hypocrite. 

“You’re right, you’re right. I shouldn’t have freaked out.” Nino asked again what’s going on and I used the first thing I could think of. “Adrien has been teaching me fencing. I’ve always wanted to learn and I didn’t want anyone to find out so he’s been keeping it a secret.” I hoped he couldn’t see the nervous sweat I could feel forming on my head. If I have to help with this superhero crap, I should be a better liar. 

Nino gave me a confused look. Before he could say anything, Kim came running up to us. “Aria! Aria! Mr. Damocles needs to see you in his office. Chloe caught Alya breaking into your locker! She was gonna steal something, Chloe’s sure of it!” He panted, hands on his knees. 

I looked at Nino with confusion. He had a guilty look on his face. I turned to the girls and told them I had to leave. They were all shocked at everything that had happened the last few minutes. Mylene gave me a look that said _you have some explaining to do._ Everyone, except Adrien, knew about Marinette’s crush. I hope they don’t think I’m dating him. Jeez, this day has been so dramatic already. That’s what I get for being a teenager.

Nino and I went to the principal’s with Kim close behind. I asked him what this was about and Nino admitted that he was just keeping me from my locker for Alya. “What for? Why would she break in? This is all crazy! I wasn’t even going to my locker, by the way!” I lamented. 

“I know, I’m sorry! Alya thought you two were dating and she was looking for proof! I didn’t know it would go this far, dude.” Nino sighed. This has gotten out of hand. I talked to Adrien one time and everyone went crazy because of it! 

We finally got to Mr. Damocles’ office. When I walked into the room, I knew this wasn’t going to turn out well. Alya was sitting alone, looking angry and dejected on one side while Chloe and Sabrina were looking happy on the other. After I got there with Nino and Kim, Mr. Damocles filled in the missing pieces. “Miss Aria, I called you here because Alya was caught breaking into your locker by Chloe. I thought it best to hear your side of the story before any final decisions are made.”

“Um, I don’t really have a ‘side of the story’. I didn’t even know this happened until two minutes ago.” I stood awkwardly in the center of the room. Nino moved near Alya and Kim towards Chloe. 

Alya huffed and uncrossed her arms. “I’m not a thief and Aria’s locker was open! Chloe is lying! I just wanted to get something back from Aria that she borrowed. Right, Aria?” Alya turned and looked at me expectedly. 

“Well, um…” I was torn on what to say. On the one hand, I don’t want to help her lie, especially when she broke school rules about property ownership. Also, I couldn’t let her get my notebook filled with my investigation notes about Miraculouses. On the other hand, making Chloe look like the bad guy sounds like a lot of fun. Besides, I don’t think anyone would be happy I sided with Chloe over Alya. I glanced at Nino. He looked expectant. I sighed, knowing that I needed to side with Alya. If I didn't, bad things could happen, like angry akuma emotions, and everyone would be upset with me for betraying her. 

“Yup! Alya gave me her, uh, her calculator ‘cause mine broke. This is just a, um, a whole big misunderstanding! I’m sorry to bother you with this, Mr. Damocles. And Chloe, thank you being a friend,” I said sarcastically, “but Alya is my friend, too.” I moved to stand besides Nino. We were both supporting Alya on this issue. _Where is Marinette? Alya is **her** best friend, yet she’s not even here!_ I scowled at the thought. 

“Mr. Damocles, it doesn’t matter if Alya was borrowing or not. She still broke the school rules! I don’t think my daddy and the press will be happy to hear that you let criminals run around in the school!” Chloe’s shrill voice broke my awkward silence. She started to call her dad. I could see the fear in the principal's eyes. 

“Alya, you’re suspended for one week for breaking into Miss Dubois’s locker. Please go collect your things.” Mr. Damocles didn’t look too happy about the verdict. I objected and called him unfair. It should really be my decision, but Chloe’s big ego won’t let that happen apparently. Alya angrily ran out of the room. Nino and I chased after her. 

“Alya, wait!” I cried. We stopped her at the bottom of the steps. “Don’t freak out! We’ll talk to Mr. Damocles and get this sorted! Just please, stay calm. Chloe isn’t worth getting upset over. Besides, a week off school might be awesome! You can video akuma attacks without worrying about missing class!” I tried comforting her. Nino put his hand on her shoulder and offered words of encouragement as well. 

“Besides, dude, we wouldn’t want you to get akumatized. That would be a drag.” Alya and I laughed at that. He’s right, that would majorly suck. 

“You’re right guys. I’ll go protest this on the school blog instead. Besides, a week away from Chloe will be great! Thank you for helping, Aria. You aren’t as bad as I thought.” Alya smirked. 

“Thanks…?” Just then the school bell rang signaling lunch was over. I guess the universe doesn’t want me to eat today. 

********

Adrien walked into class right on time. Unfortunately he missed lunch because of an akuma, causing him to be hungry. He didn’t miss the friendly smile and wave Nino sent Aria as she walked into class with Alix, or how she returned it. That was incredibly odd for both of them. Since when are they friends? Something must’ve happened during lunch. He was about to ask Nino when Ms. Bustier started the lesson. 

Class droned on for a bit until Marinette sneaked into class. She was late. Again. Now, however, he noticed Alya wasn’t at her seat, either. Marinette noticed, too. She asked Nino what happened and he explained Alya got suspended for one week because she broke into Aria’s locker. She shouted in response, hurting Adrien’s ears. Damn the superhero side effects! 

Ms. Bustier got annoyed and scolded her. “Marinette, if you’re going to come late, would you please do it discreetly?” 

“Sorry…” she meekly responded. Marinette quickly tapped on Nino’s shoulder again and he further explained that Chloe made it happen anyway when Aria stopped it. Marinette shouted again; so she was sent to the principal’s by an angry Bustier. _I guess she’s having a bad day,_ Adrien thought. 

He was shocked at what Nino said. Apparently a lot had happened while he was gone. Adrien was clearly missing a lot of details on what went down. He planned on getting the full story after class. He turned and looked at Aria who was busily writing notes down. She seemed content and maybe even a little happier than usual. 

A few minutes of class passed by before disaster struck. The projector turned on and showed a new supervillain next to Mr. Damocles. “I’m Lady Wifi, revealer of the truth! For our first expose, your principal would like to share a little tidbit with you. So, Mr. Damocles,” she spoke, with an air of confidence around her. “Is it true you wrongly suspended a student named Alya today because you were pressured by a horrible person?” 

He looked down and said, “Yes. I hate it, but there’s nothing I can do to stop it.” He sighed sadly. 

“So you were biased, unfair, totally unjust?!” Before he could respond again, she paused him with her phone. “For my next scoop, I’ll show everyone who the real villain of Paris is. It’s not Hawkmoth, it’s Chloe Bourgeois! Stay connected!” The screen immediately went black. Everyone, including Adrien, turned and looked at her for a full beat before Ms. Bustier sent them home with homework. Aria didn’t get up and leave. She looked perplexed and very angry. 

Adrien ran up, grabbed her hand, and led her out of the class.

********

How did this happen?! Nino and I made sure she wasn’t upset when she left the school! We tried to stop this! Chloe must’ve done something after we left Alya. Damnit! What went wrong? I swear one of these days I’m gonna break my no violence rule and bitch slap her! I looked up from my angry internal rant and realized Adrien led me to the park. We hid behind a bench in some nearby bushes and sat down. 

“Aria, what's going on? What happened to Alya?" Adrien asked, concerning showing in his features. 

"Look, I'll try to explain this quickly. Remember when you and I talked a few days ago?" He nodded at this. I then went on to explain how Chloe manipulated the principal into suspending Alya and how Nino and I talked her down. 

"I don't get it; why did you side with Alya? She broke school rules and went through your stuff. Even I'd be mad." Adrien ran a hand through his hair. 

I hesitated to respond. I really only sided with her because I hate Chloe. But I also knew the only reason Alya did that was for Marinette, but I can't exactly explain that. “It’s complicated; I’ll explain later. Right now, I think you’re needed by your partner.” I smiled at him.

“Right! I _beleaf_ you’ll be safe here.” He shot me a sly smile and I laughed openly. “I’ll come get you when it’s over!”

A few minutes passed and I got out my phone to view the local news. They didn’t have any info on the akuma yet. I sighed to myself. I had homework and I really needed to get home already. I stood up and was about to leave when my phone started glowing pinkish. I dropped it and Al- I mean, Lady Wifi stepped out. 

“Aria! So nice to see you!” She smirked evilly. She slowly walked closer and I tried to step back. “You tried to stop that monster, Chloe, before, so why not try again! You should team up with me and help me take her down, once and for all! Finally we can be rid of that brat!” She cackled. I was beyond shocked. Did I really give off an evil vibe? I hope not at least! 

I hated Chloe, but I didn’t want to hurt her. I just want her to go away and leave me alone. “I’m sorry, Lady Wifi, but I don’t want to hurt anyone. And I don’t think you do, either. You’re just being manipulated by a bad guy. Don’t fall for it!” I was cornered against a tree. Usually I’d make a break for it, but I don’t think running away would help me in this case.

“I’m being manipulated?! Are you calling me weak? I’m not weak! I’ll do whatever I must to punish Chloe and reveal the truth.” 

The last thing I knew, she reached for her phone and swiped it. My world went black. 

********

I woke up in rope. I was sitting on the floor and my arms were tied behind me. I looked around. It seems I was at the Mayor’s Hotel. _How the hell did I end up here?_ I thought. I was in a nice dining area. I was sitting near a counter and fancy tables were behind me. Just then Chat Noir and Ladybug burst in, literally. 

“Aria!” Adricat said, running over to me. “Are you okay? What are you doing here?” Ladybug came over, too, and helped me with my ropes. However, she seemed extremely quiet. 

“I feel fine. What’s going on? Last thing I remember is I was in a park when Lady Wifi showed up. Has she been defeated? Is Chloe okay?” I stood along with the heroes and looked around. Nothing seemed amiss. 

“We haven’t been able to find Lady Wifi. And Chloe is frozen, though uninjuried. Do you know why she took you?” He said. _I’m surprised Adrien cares about me this much. Up until a few days ago, I’ve been kinda bitchy to him. He really is a good guy._

Before I could answer, Ladybug asked to speak to him privately. She was a little harsh in my opinion. I took this opportunity to roam around the room. The white dining tables had phones on them. Lady Wifi appeared on the one a few tables down from me. Suddenly, the heroes were flipping around and fighting the villain. She threw pause signs all around the room. I ran into the nearby kitchen for cover. 

Lady Wifi corralled Bug into the kitchen and locked her to the wall. She went on a rant about LB’s identity and was unsuccessful at taking her mask off. It was then I noticed something interesting. A moth symbol appeared over her face and she talked to Moth. It must be like some magic Facetime or something. I stepped out of my hiding place to get a better look when she spotted me. 

“Well, well, well. What do we have here? Aria Dubois. I gave her the opportunity to be a hero, but instead she sided with the villain. Now, Aria, you’re going to regret ever leaving that po-dunk town you came from.” She hissed. 

Okay, now the gloves are coming off. “Excuse me? You’re making me look like the villain because I decided not to help you hurt someone? I think everyone would agree you’re the evil one here.” I slowly walked closer and closer to her. “Don’t you dare try and make me seem like the bad guy when you’re the one hurting innocent people!” 

“Anybody who tolerates that brat isn’t innocent!” 

I started circling her and got her back facing the dumbwaiter just as Chat poked his head out. He did the smart thing and didn’t say a word. “You need to back off! You aren’t innocent either, so don’t you dare act like it! You want to stand up to bullies yet you’re letting one manipulate you now! You’re the hypocrite and you’re the villain!” I poke her chest with my finger and she slowly started backing up. A look of confusion flashed through her features and her eyes momentarily went from hot pink to soothing orange. 

Alya looked down at her phone. She seemed to be confused for a second. “If you want to be the hero and the good guy and you want to stop bullies, then put down the phone and gain some courage. Stand up to him, Alya.” My voice became a whisper near the end. Hawk Moth tried to speak to her and I used the opportunity to grab her phone. Everyone seemed shocked and Moth’s facetime disappeared along with Alya’s costume. 

I threw the phone to Adrien. He quickly destroyed it with his Cataclysm. Ladybug was released from her locks and captured the akuma. I was hit with a wave of dizziness all of a sudden. The room swirled around me and it took all my remaining energy to not fall and pass out. I guess handling akumas when you aren’t a hero doesn’t sit well with the body. 

Alya asked what happened and Ladybug filled her in. Alya had a freakout at getting to talk to her. Meanwhile, I left the kitchen and tried to take deep breaths. Chat followed me out. “Wow, that was awesome! I didn’t even know that sort of thing could happen! Nice going!” He held his fist out and I bumped it with mine. The dizziness finally stopped. “Hey, I got a few minutes before I transform. Want me to bring you home?” He offered politely. I agreed and we took the elevator to the top floor.

It was a little awkward. I knew his biggest secret, but we still didn’t have anything to talk about. I wanted to ask him some kwami-related questions, but I wanted Plagg there, too. He asked me a few questions about schoolwork and we gossiped about the teachers, but that’s it. Adrien made me grab onto him when we got to the top floor. I’ll admit, this guy was ripped, but it was still uncomfortable being so close to him. 

It took longer than expected to get to my apartment. His transformation dropped as soon as we landed. I practically jumped away from him. “Adrieeennnn! How are we gonna get home now? I’m hungryyyy!” Cried Plagg. 

Adrien rubbed the back of his neck shyly. “Sorry Plagg, can you get us back on an empty stomach?” 

I was so, so confused. “Wait, what does food have to do with transforming? I thought your ring was responsible for it.” I scratched my hand in confusion. 

“Plagg can’t transform me without energy and all his energy comes from food.” He turned away from me to address his cute kwami. “Sorry, I guess we’re walking home, again.”

I waved them inside. “Nonsense. I’ll get him some food. Besides, I have some questions anyway. Plagg, what do you like?” 

Adrien walked inside and took a seat at my desk while Plagg collapsed on my pillows. I’m so lucky I cleaned my room last night. “I’ll eat anything, but I love Camenbert! It’s the most delectable food on the planet!” He got up and flew in a heart motion to emphasize his point. 

I giggled a little. “Alright, alright. I don’t have that, but I’ll see what I can do.” I left the room and snuck into the kitchen. 

I came back and gave Plagg some swiss. “I know it's not the best, but it's what we have. Sorry!” I sat on my bed. Plagg grumbled but took the cheese anyway. 

Adrien turned to me. “So, you had some questions?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was super super long! I know Chloe got slammed a lot in this chapter, but I plan on giving her a redemption arc in the future. This is an example of how the story will be changed. Aria will continue to affect the world in different ways. Stay tuned!


End file.
